RE: Whip antenna or not?
You will find 99% of the guys will tell you that you need a whip / it brings only advantages. I, however, am sure that it works just as well, if not better without a whip IF you don't have a carbon fuse AND you route it with some common sense.
A whip will give you best test ranges on the ground, because it points straight up and thus gives most projected antenna length from all angles around.
However, once in the air, at the point furthest away, turning back inbound, you will suddenly only "see" a very small portion of the whip antenna, thus have the least range at the point furthest out (my theory).
I "divide" my antenna into 3 equally long sections, and place them one part fore/aft, one part left right and one part up/down. This way, no matter from what (3D) angle i look at the airframe, i will always have at least 2/3 projected antenna length and therefore equal range in all flight situations.
Place the antenna far away from cables, batteries, ecu and such and you will be fine without one of those ugly whips (that make the best jets look like they are from Toys'R'Us ... )
Best regards
Hank